The study also revealed that over the past year, two in five small to medium enterprises have taken on at least one new apprentice, although this figure falls for firms with less than ten staff members.

Mark Farrar, chief executive of the ATT, said: “Becoming an apprentice brings a positive impact not only to the individual, but also to businesses and the wider industry that they are employed in.

“They are becoming increasingly popular for companies of all shapes and sizes, and also across all sectors – not just those traditionally associated with apprenticeship schemes such as construction and engineering, but also professions including accountancy and IT.”

Positivity remains around the apprentice scheme ,with one in four small businesses also confirming they plan to take on at least one apprentice in the next year. However, some firms did express concern over the cost of employing apprentices, as well as preferring to recruit workers who already have the right skill set.